ARKABUTLA, Miss. – A Mississippi gunman killed six people and wounded another person Friday during a deadly rampage in a rural Mississippi town. Officials said the man targeted both relatives and strangers.
Richard Dale Crum, 52, was identified as the mass murder suspect. He acted alone and was taken into custody following the bloody shooting spree that spanned at least four crime scenes in the small town of Arkabutla in Tate County, near the Tennessee border, the New York Post reported.
The sequence of horrific crimes began when Crum arrived at a local gas station about 11 a.m. and allegedly fired into the vehicle next to him, killing the driver, but leaving the passenger unharmed, Tate County Sheriff Brad Lance told CNN.
Next, Crum ran into the convenience store before driving away from the gas station and directly to his ex-wife’s nearby residence. Upon arrival he reportedly killed her and battered the woman’s fiance, who was present at the house.
The accused murderer then barged into his neighbor’s home and reportedly killed two people inside. Police said the adult male and female victims were likely related to the killer.
After a period of time, a sheriff’s deputy located Crum’s vehicle and a pursuit took place. The suspect led law enforcement officers back to the driveway of his own home, where he was arrested.
Authorities discovered a deceased person inside Crum’s car and another lying nearby in the roadway. Several handguns and a shotgun were also located in the vehicle, The Post reported.
One shooting victim was rushed to the hospital and underwent emergency medical treatment and survived the killing spree. It was unclear where this person was at when he or she was seriously wounded.
— Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) February 17, 2023
Crum was booked on a charge of first-degree murder. However, authorities said additional charges are expected in the coming days.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are assisting the Tate County Sheriff’s Office with the massive investigation.
